What does it look like?
Identity theft is when someone other than yourself gets access to your personal information and uses it to commit fraud. This can include opening accounts or applying for loans in your name. While this can sound concerning, most cases are resolved quickly with the right steps.
What do I do if I believe my identity has been stolen?
If you're concerned that someone may have opened a North One Account using your personal information, please email us at [email protected] and provide any detail you can to help us locate the fraudulent Account. This could include: personal name on the Account, business name on the Account, or the last 4 digits of the card number associated with the Account. We take these situations very seriously, and will investigate the Account and take the appropriate action.
Once you’ve contacted our Customer Support team, we’d recommend you take the following actions to protect your identity:
Contact your current Banks to notify them that your identity may have been compromised. They can help you ensure the security of your Account.
Reach out to local law enforcement and file a police report. Be sure to include as much detail as possible, such as exact dates, times, and Account numbers.
Obtain credit reports from all three credit bureaus, and notify them of the situation. They may recommend placing a freeze on your credit until the situation is mitigated.
Visit the Federal Trade Commission's website, https://www.ftc.gov. This is the nation’s consumer protection agency. It provides streamlined checklists and sample letters to guide you through the identity recovery process.
Make sure that your digital presence is secure by changing your passwords, setting up multi-factor authentication where possible, and ensuring that your browsers and software are up-to-date (updates often include heightened security features). Consider investing in identity theft protection software.
How does it happen, and how do I avoid it?
While it's difficult to know exactly how your information may have been compromised, there are some common methods:
Phishing: You may have received an email or text message from someone pretending to be a trusted source (such as your bank, your phone company, a mail service, or even a friend or family member), asking you to provide them with your personal information. Before responding, reach out to the person or merchant directly in a new email or message and confirm that they do indeed require your information.
Spoofing: You may have been sent a link that appears to be legitimate, but was actually set up by a scammer to trick people into providing their information. Keep an eye out for misspelled domain names, or go directly to the company's website and ask for help there instead of clicking on the link.
Hacking: Someone may have broken in to your computer or Account. Websites can experience leaks where your username and password are stolen by a hacker, so be sure to use a unique and difficult to guess password for each of your logins.
If you have any further questions for us, please reach out at [email protected]. We are happy to help in any way we can.
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NorthOne is a financial technology company, and not a bank.
Banking services are provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.